Courtesy photo The New Hampshire Liquor Commission, which operates 79 outlet stores in the state, set an all-time sales record of $707.7 million during fiscal year 2018. The commission is building a new 20,000-square-foot outlet at the Portsmouth Traffic Circle, shown here.

CONCORD – With two of its top six stores in Nashua, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission generated all-time sales revenue in fiscal year 2018 of $707.7 million in sales.

Since the first outlet opened in 1934, liquor and wine sales have produced more than $3.6 billion in revenue for New Hampshire.

“Surpassing $700 million in sales is a significant milestone given our hyper-competitive market, in which national retailers and neighboring states are vying for market share,” said New Hampshire Liquor Commission Chairman Joseph Mollica.

“We attribute our success and steady growth to the strategic investments New Hampshire Liquor Commission has made over the past several years, including building a nationally recognized brand, our extensive store renovation and relocation efforts and significant technology enhancements. These investments are modernizing New Hampshire Liquor Commission to make it a valuable asset for the state for decades to come,” he continued.

The commission, which operates 79 outlets statewide, generated a record $155.7 million in total net profits, of which $6.8 million was delivered to the state’s Alcohol Abuse Prevention and Treatment Fund, which supports alcohol and drug prevention, treatment and recovery programs.

“New Hampshire Liquor Commission plays a crucial role delivering substantial revenue each year to support critical state programs, including education, health and social services, transportation, natural resource protection and substance use prevention and treatment,” Mollica said.

New and renovated stores include an array of enhancements, including increased visibility and accessibility, expanded retail space, more varieties of wines and spirits, wider aisles, high-efficiency LED fixtures and iPads for perusing inventory and food and wine pairings. In addition to incorporating state-of-the-art features in all of its new or renovated stores, the commission is also implementing an entirely integrated and streamlined point-of-sale system to further enhance efficiency and inventory management.

“We experience a significant return on investment from our new stores, which are all experiencing double-digit sales increases with some producing as much as 30 percent sales growth,” Mollica said. “We are looking forward to opening our new 20,000-square-foot store at the Portsmouth Traffic Circle late this year, which will further bolster revenue.”

Top 10 NH liquor outlets, by sales, in fiscal year 2018:

1. Hampton: I-95 northbound — $ 30.7 million

2. Salem: Rockingham Mall — $ 28.5 million

3. Nashua: Willow Spring Plaza — $ 28.2 million

4. Hampton: I-95 southbound — $ 24.4 million

5. Portsmouth: Traffic Circle — $ 22.4 million

6. Nashua: 25 Coliseum Ave. — $21.4 million

7. Hooksett: I-93 northbound — $19.4 million

8. Bedford: 9 Leavy Drive — $16.4 million

9. Hooksett: I-93 southbound — $16.0 million

10. Manchester: 68 Elm St. — $13.9 million

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